UCON CX

Overview

The UCON CX audio system is a 32 channel, very compact, multi functional audio- and MIDI interface for the USB 2.0 high speed bus.
It combines on minimal space not only a high number of channels and offers a variety of connectors, but also represents a harmonic combination of
profound and newly developed MARIAN technologies.

The integrated A/D and D/A converters of the newest generation working with 24 Bit/96kHz and provide in connection with the sound optimized circuit design professional audio specifications.
All inputs and outputs can be used simultaneously in full duplex operation and mixed and routed latency-free directly within the hardware using the integrated 32 channel digital mixer.

The UCON CX audio system is multiple cascadable, hot plug capable and perfect not only as the studios main unit but especially for the mobile use, e.g. for professional recording systems with a notebook. Furthermore it can be used as high-quality stand-alone ADAT-converter.

USB2 high speed bus and latency boost

The UCON CX system is connected to one free USB2 port of a PC or notebook. Every modern main board, every notebook carries several USB 2 connectors, regularly.
The USB 2 high speed bus operates on a 480 mbit/sec data transmission rate. It is multifunctional, hot-plug capable and different devices can be operated parallel on different ports or via a HUB.
But not enough, USB 2 extension boards for the pci bus are unbeatable cheap, so even inappropriate on board chipsets may be replaced easily.

There have been a couple of technologies developed for the UCON series, ensuring undisturbed data transfer and taking care of minimal latencies.
Namely, the revolutionary latency-boost technology enables a direct communication with the hardware, decreasing and stabilizing the latency times on the USB 2 bus.
This way Marian USB 2 systems not only reach down to latency times, yet to be seen on PCI solutions only, but also excel due to the stability of an once found latency setting, ensuring constant
data transfer - without adjustments needed - even when using all I/Os.

The MARIAN USB 2 transfer has further advantages: MIDI input data is transported and directed to the software application instantly and time precisely via the USB connection without any delay.

An integrated test function, simulating the parallel operation of all inputs and outputs, helps setting up the optimal latency.

Integrated DSP Mixer

The UCON CX is not just simply a recording system with many professional connections in high resolution audio quality of 24 bit and 96 kHz – once installed it will upgrade any computer to a full size
32 channel mixing device. The digital mixer directly integrated in the hardware of the system works with the fastest and most flexible DSP functions allowing latency-free mixing
of all input and playback channels to several stereo sums. Every available audio signal can be routed freely and monitored latency-free to any physical output.
The completely free mixing and signal routing not only saves you from investing in a patchbay and keeps your from burdensome cable replugging but also allows several monitor mixes,
played back on any output. All configurations can be made with a simply mouse click and saved in the mixer setup.

The intuitive and ergonomic user interface of the UCON mixer has been designed in the style of analogue mixing consoles,
with usual elements like gain, aux send, solo, mute, volume faders and peak meters. It allows musical ideas to be captured quickly, and to easily master all thinkable situations during a production.

The mixer is very easy to handle and has a lot of smart solutions under the hood. E.g. double clicking a fader resets its state to default position. The pre-function of the level meter allows exact
control of incoming signals.

The optical appearance can be configured – all I/Os and many mixer sections can either be shown or hid. All audio and layout settings can be saved and recalled from session files (total recall).

Effective design

Due to small latencies the UCON CX system is especially usable for playing software instruments and samplers. Flexible routing, start-stop synchronization of all in- and outputs,
sample exact transfer on all channels and direct delay-free controlling of the inputs (zero-latency monitoring) make the UCON CX system the ideal partner for demanding harddisk-recording, as well.

The design was intended to provide a robust and solid construction with good recognition of all control elements. Its massive and intentionally simple-designed silver metallic case with no extravagant
expenses, though still with excellent inner values, protects the high quality electronics within and withstands hectic live or audition situations. The UCON CX can easily be transported due to its
ultra compact construction and therefore also applies to mobile recording purposes.

The UCON CX audio system excels due to an easy installation and steadily checked high production quality. It works problem-free with intel- and amd based systems.
(recommended USB2 chipsets).

Inputs and outputs

Analog: the UCON CX systems provides eight balanced analog in- and outputs. You can connect either balanced cables with 6.3mm TRS stereo plugs or unbalanced 6.3mm TRS mono plugs.
This allows not only microphones but also instruments and external sound modules with line output to be connected.

In connection with the sound optimized circuit design all connectors deliver professional audio specifications. A/D and D/A converter of the renowned manufacturer AKM work with 24 Bit and 96 kHz.

A stereo output and an adjustable phones outpout on the front for the internal mixer sum complete the analog I/O set.

Digital: The UCON CX system provides an optical in and output for S/PDIF (TOSLINK) - 24Bit and 96kHz.
This way, even high end external converters or signal processors can transmit data without a loss of quality caused by dithering or resampling.

8-Channel ADAT I/O: The optical digital connectors can alternatively be operated in regular ADAT format. This way up to 8 channels with 24 Bit and 48kHz can
be transmitted back and forth the system.

Wordclock: The UCON system carries a wordclock/superclock input (BNC) and is thereby set up flexibly in every digital or analogue environment.
The UCON CX can be operated either as slave or as clock master. The evolved clock technology with automatic jitter suppression and high quality signal
recovery takes care for optimal sound results even if the reference clock is of bad quality.

MIDI-I/Os: Furthermore one MIDI in- and two outputs (DIN-connector) with stream optimization for an effective data transfer complete the I/O set. A special MIDI transfer mode delivers
incoming signals direct to the application - without any delay or timing issues.

Driver suite

The UCON CX comes along with the complete list of drivers for windows.

The multi-client driver for ASIO, GSIF 2, WDM with kernel streaming and real, non emulated DirectSound support, constantly improved and expanded, provide minimal latency values
for all software environments. Modular and handy mixer and setup dialogues enable the manipulation of many parameters and the display of all in and outputs.
That includes exact level metering, flexible monitoring and synchronisation settings.